Small Business Mentors
by Matt Zemon

Mentorships are not as readily accessible to entrepreneurs as they are to people in many corporate environments. As a busy entrepreneur, finding a productive mentoring relationship takes some effort, but the good news is that you have a lot more flexibility and control over the process.

It is logical that you would want to seek out mentors who are or were successful entrepreneurs themselves. They can relate to the challenges you face and you can count on their guidance because it is likely they have been in a similar position. Whether you need motivation or you just want someone to listen, nurturing a positive mentor relationship can be very worthwhile. Another plus is that mentors can also help expand your universe of business contacts.

Mentorships come in different shapes and sizes, so it is wise to really think about what you want from a mentor and how you envision the relationship working. A great place to start is by considering mentors from your past with whom you had productive relationships.  Think about the things that made the relationship work; personality traits, ease of communication, accessibility, etc. All of these things can serve as a guide in finding a new mentor.

Lists are great tools and in this endeavor they come in particularly handy. Start by writing down all the things you want accomplish with your mentor. Once you are comfortable with the list, review it and highlight the things that you know are essential to you and your business. The 'must haves' apply to what you want to accomplish with a mentor, but also their personal characteristics, background and skills. For example, are you looking for someone who listens well or has specific experience such as marketing or finance? How much time are you willing to devote to developing this relationship and how much time will you ask of your mentor?

Give thought to how you expect the mentorship to operate and how you will measure its success. Separate your immediate needs from your longer term goals. If you are in a time crunch with a specific challenge, a paid consultant might be the most expedient way to help you over that hurdle.

If you are looking for a more long term source of guidance inherent to a more traditional mentor/mentee relationship, you have to figure out where to find that person.  A great place to start is within your network of business contacts such as vendors, trade association members or your local chamber of commerce.  University and business school Alumni groups can also be great sources of mentor candidates.  

When you have identified potential candidates, it is helpful to remember that mentorships are relationships in the truest sense of the word, so interviewing several people is advisable.  Use your original list to assess each prospect. That way personality will not overshadow other factors.  

As with most of your responsibilities as an entrepreneur, you have to organize and lay the groundwork as well as build the relationship with a mentor.  Maynard Webb, former COO of eBay and CEO of LiveOps as well as Yahoo board member, said it best when he said, "We have to acknowledge that in the Age of Entrepreneurship, the onus of personal and professional development is on the individual, not on the company. I hope that instead of fearing this new responsibility, you'll see the many benefits it brings."  His Web Site is another great source of information. See More

Finding and nurturing a productive mentor relationship can be tremendously rewarding both professionally and personally.  It has been true since the days of apprenticeships and it continues to be true in the age of the entrepreneur.

No offshore call centers!  As President & CEO, Matt Zemon brings over 20 years of operations, billing and customer service experience to American Support.  American Support provides contact center support to some of America's largest companies using a 100% U.S.-based workforce. Matt has been named one of Triangle Business Journal's 40 under 40 while American Support is included in CableFax's "Top 10 places in the cable industry to work" and WorldBlu's list of "Most Democratic Organizations".

Have a question about your business plan for Matt? Ask here. Your question/answer may be printed in a future issue.